Michael Bay's Rejected "Dark Knight" Script
— Ace

Not really. Just a parody. But funny stuff, even if people do pick a bit too much on Michael Bay.

Sure, he's not exactly a great director, or even a great action-movie director. Still, he gave us The Rock, which wasn't too bad.

Thanks to David C.

Posted by: Ace at 02:53 PM | Comments (9)
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Danish, British Islamaphobes Flee, Assault Muslim Neighbors Due to Nothing but Ignorance and Hate
— Ace

It's like a Kristallnacht for Muslims in Britain. Have we learned nothing?

For more than two years, Sydney DavisÂ’ house has been under siege from stone-throwing youths. And more than two hours into the latest attack on his family home, the police had yet to respond.

So after a particularly large missile landed in his kitchen, the 65-year-old grabbed a plank of wood and ran towards the gang to scare them away. But his desperate act came just as the police finally arrived on the scene - where they promptly arrested him for possession of an offensive weapon.

He now faces up to six months in prison.

Yesterday the retired builder, who has two young sons, said he had been left reeling by the decision to prosecute him.

Mr Davis - who claims to have had objects thrown at his house on 700 separate occasions, and his windows smashed five times in eight months - said: ‘Something needs to be done to stop these kids.

‘They are out there every night. One of my neighbours even had a seven-month-old in their kitchen when a brick came through the window. It showered glass across the baby’s face. When these kids see the police they are off through the alleyways. The police have got no chance of catching them.’

Mr DavisÂ’ 42-year-old wife Pauline dialed 999 when their home came under attack yet again last week, but two and a half hours later officers had failed to arrive.

He recalled: ‘My wife called the police at 6 o’clock. But [the youths] just kept on throwing stones. I left the back door open to stop them smashing it. I have two kids and if one of those stones hit them it could have caused some really nasty damage.’

And with his sons Peter, seven, and five-year-old Jimmy cowering behind a sofa, he decided enough was enough.

Islamophobic vigilante.

Now I should say that Rachel Lucas assumes the stone-throwers are Islamic, though the article doesn't say so. But we've confronted these YOUEEs (Youths of Undetermined Ethnic Extraction) before; the European press resorts to obfuscation and feigned ignorance when dealing with such folks.

I surmise they are in fact Islamic based on 1) the fact they're throwing stones, Intifada-style, and 2) the police refuse to act against them.

And also 3) it's happening in Denmark too.

Many Greenlanders living in Gjellerup Park [a suburban high-rise district of Ã…rhus, Denmark - translator] are fed up. After several years of racist persecution and harassment by Arab and Somali tenants, they've now chosen to abandon the place.

"I couldn't stand being their target. It was a psychological stress. But I'm angry that we were the ones to leave. After all, they were the ones to attack us," says Johanne Christiansen.

Together with the others she got the municipality's help to move out. Greenlanders in Gjellerup are assaulted, humiliated, and have stones thrown at them. These citizens from the northernmost part of Denmark mostly stay put in their apartments, afraid to go out in the open. They resemble outlaws and hunting game within the area.

Obviously this is ethnic cleansing, driving out non-Muslims from Muslim-dominated areas to create wholly-Muslim enclaves.

And the governments of Europe are not only countenancing it, they are actively participating in it -- the Danish municipality actually helped the ethnic cleansers by moving the Inuits out, rather than stopping the ethnic cleansing.

"Multiculturalism" now demands tolerance and respect for a virulently-separatist and territorially-expansionist minority using violence and intimidation to create a Muslim monoculture.

Multiculturalism = violently enforced racism-motivated monoculture. Even Orwell's jaw would drop at this.

Thanks to CJ.

Posted by: Ace at 02:39 PM | Comments (58)
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Vigorously Knocking Wood, But One and Only One US Soldier Lost in Iraq the First Week of July
— Ace

It's not a good idea to do a quick linear projection for all of July, but here's hoping anyway.

Posted by: Ace at 02:29 PM | Comments (9)
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Obama's Flip-Flops =/= Kerry's
— Ace

The anti-Obama ad that DrewM. posted is effective, but I think the message needs to be sharpened.

John Kerry flip-flopped to the left during the primaries to outflank the hard-left Dean on Iraq. The flip-flop secured him the nomination, but hurt him in the general election. He was left with a recently-adopted left position he could not easily abandon after having already flip-flopped to it months earlier.

The flip-flop hurt him two ways: He was shown to be a panderer and willing to adopt any position to advance his political interests, and he was adopting positions disfavored by the middlish independent voters vital to winning the presidency.

Obama's flip-flop is the other way. He began by strongly pandering to the left -- a la Howard Dean. Hillary was in John Kerry's position during the primaries -- she had to move further and further left to appeal to the harder-left voters of the Democratic primaries (and especially the very hard left activist types that bother showing up for eight hour caucuses). She failed, of course. No matter how far to the left she moved, Obama was always two steps further to the left.

But now it's general campaign season, and Obama is flip-flopping, not to the left as Kerry did, but to the center.

So while he will be damaged by such principle-free mercenary opportunism, he does not have to fear that, like Kerry, he had made himself less electable among independents and those in the squishy middle. Indeed, Obama's flip-flops make him more palatable to the center.

I'm not sure how McCain and the RNC should sharpen their ads to hurt Obama more, but I do think they need to do it. As it stands, a centrist swing voter may acknowledge that Obama is just another politician willing to adopt whatever position will appeal to the center swing voters... but, from their vantage point, that's a good thing. People don't like pandering, but they don't mind it so much when they themselves are being pandered to.

It needs to be said, either explicitly or strongly impliedly, that Obama's current positions are dishonest and not his true positions, that he will flip-flop-flip right back to his natural home on the far left the moment he's elected President. It's not enough to point out Obama's flip-flops, given that his current positions are actually vote-winners as far as the independent voters are concerned. One has to make the case that his positions should win no independent votes, because they're simply expedient, convenient lies.

I'm not a professional politico of course, and perhaps McCain and the RNC have focus-grouped all that and determined that their current ads make the case in the most effective way possible. Perhaps going further and explicitly stating that Obama is a liar who will say anything to get elected -- and then proceed to enact his true-believer hard-left agenda -- is a bridge too far and alienates more voters than it convinces.

But I can't help but think that McCain's current ad on Obama's flip-flopping is actually helpful to Obama, reassuring middle-third voters that, while Obama has taken a lot of far-left positions to fool the pot-addled dupes of the Democratic left fringe, he's actually quite a sensible, pragmatic, cautious and even conservatively-inclined fellow. Sure, he lied to those fools and freaks. But now we see what he really thinks, and what he really thinks is quite a bit more palatable than what he previously claimed to have thought.

Obama is just another politician is actually a campaign slogan on Obama's behalf when contrasted with the other possible meme that could define him, Obama is a hard-left radical willing to baldly lie to achieve power and then enact his Age of Aquarius program.

Obviously Obama is lying to someone. He either lied previously to the lefty activists that dominate the Democratic primary, or he's lying to the centrist voters he hopes to court now.

If Obama is permitted to "re-calibrate" and redefine all his positions so that centrist voters think that he's now telling the truth, that's a net-positive for Obama. He's not a dangerous lefty lunatic is a more potent and positive message than He's a flip-flopper is a negative one.

And McCain and the RNC have to fight that conclusion, not simply note that he's taken contrary positions at the most politically-expedient moments.

Whether it's gun rights, or late-term abortions, or Iraq, or the flag-lapel pin, Obama's current positions are more attractive than his prior ones. It does the Republicans little good to simply advertise Obama's current crop of positions of strong centrist appeal.

Obama's doing the same thing. He's also advertising these new, more appealing positions. (If not advertising them via paid media, he's certainly advertising them with free media speeches and press opportunities.)

Why help Obama's media campaign by spending precious political dollars reinforcing the message Obama's got $350 million to promote himself?

Possible Explanation? The Republicans may have determined, by focus-groups and polls, that Obama is surrounded by such an aura of (false) virtue that direct, explicit attacks on his basic goodness and near-divinity will not sell. At least not yet. Before stronger attacks may be made against him (and have any hope of persuading the public), perhaps they have determined that the teflon sheen of righteousness must be scratched off him. Before the tough attacks come out, he must first be reduced from Savior to politician.

And only then, when he stands in the public imagination as what he actually is -- just another politician -- can the next step be taken, casting him as politician who is lying and who will pursue a hidden agenda that the majority of the public does not favor.

So perhaps these ads are weak and tentative because weak and tentative is all that is possible at the moment.

That may be the case. But at some point -- even if the polls are still showing Obama's Magic Negro Halo mostly intact and a-glow -- McCain and the GOP are going to have to hit the switch and accuse him of a dishonest and covert radicalism.

Posted by: Ace at 01:54 PM | Comments (246)
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France Investigates Terrorist Threat Against... Porn
— Ace

Cable station Canal-Plus shows hardcore porn past midnight. The usual folks are threatening the usual explosions.

Anti-terrorism investigators in Paris are probing threats against a leading French cable TV channel over pornographic films it airs that can be viewed in North Africa, a judicial official said Tuesday.

Canal-Plus, France's first pay-TV channel, received letters from one or more people claiming to be Muslim and threatening to blow up its headquarters if it continues to broadcast once-a-month pornographic films, the official said. The official was not authorized to be named publicly about such matters.

...

Canal-Plus and its sister channels show a range of programming, much of it family-friendly. It can be viewed via satellite in largely Muslim North Africa, where French is widely spoken but where social standards are vastly more conservative than in France.

As a new broadcaster in 1984, Canal-Plus introduced X-rated films on the first Saturday of the month to build its image as a more exciting alternative to France's traditional channels. Since then, Canal-Plus has become a mainstay of French television and provides financial support to French filmmakers.

Posted by: Ace at 01:22 PM | Comments (27)
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British Government Sources: Yes, Litvenenko Murder Was Russian State-Ordered Hit
— Ace

Not exactly a shock.

The murder of former Russian agent Alexander Litvinenko was carried out with the backing of the Russian state, Whitehall sources have told the BBC.

A senior security official told Newsnight there were "very strong indications it was a state action".

Mr Litvinenko, who was a fierce critic of former Russian President Vladimir Putin, was poisoned in London in 2006.

UK investigators suspect former KGB agent Andrei Lugovoi of the murder, but he has always denied any involvement.

The BBC has been told that Russia's internal security organisation, the FSB, operated under Mr Putin with far more autonomy than the organisations usually entrusted with foreign espionage operations.

Our source said: "We very strongly believe the Litvinenko case to have had some state involvement."

The bad old days are back.

Posted by: Ace at 01:04 PM | Comments (19)
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Sorry...
— Ace

My internet was down all day. Eesh. Thanks to all the cobloggers for posting good stuff.

Posted by: Ace at 12:23 PM | Comments (25)
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Heckuva Job, Harry and Nancy!
— Slublog

Well, at least they're bringing America together.

The percentage of voters who give Congress good or excellent ratings has fallen to single digits for the first time in Rasmussen Reports tracking history.

This month, just 9% say Congress is doing a good or excellent job. Most voters (52%) say Congress is doing a poor job, which ties the record high in that dubious category. Last month, 11% of voters gave the legislature good or excellent ratings. Congress has not received higher than a 15% approval rating since the beginning of 2008.

The percentage of Democrats who give Congress positive ratings fell from 17% last month to 13% this month. The number of Democrats who give Congress a poor rating remained unchanged. Among Republicans, 8% give Congress good or excellent ratings, up just a point from last month. Sixty-five percent (65%) of GOP voters say Congress is doing a poor job, down a single point from last month.

Voters not affiliated with either party are the most critical of Congressional performance. Just 3% of those voters give Congress positive ratings, down from 6% last month. Sixty-three percent (63%) believe Congress is doing a poor job, up from 57% last month

This poll is not good news for either party, or either presidential candidate, since both are members of this particular 'do-nothing Congress.' There may be a slight sliver of opportunity for John McCain, since his party is in the minority and in a position to paint Democrat leaders with the 'do nothing' brush.

Is the GOP up to the challenge of engaging in that bare-knuckle political brawl? Their willingness to do so will determine whether the Democrats have a simple majority, or a veto-proof one in November.

Update - Most absurd, yet predictable, spin ever - it's all Bush's fault!

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada said President Bush has been a drag on public perception of Congress.

“Any time you have a president who is down so, so far in poll numbers, it drags down city council members, it drags down any elected official — including us, and we recognize that,” Reid said, adding that he met Monday night with a group of pollsters and consultants, one of whom put Bush’s approval rating at 11 percent.

That’s significantly lower than other public tracking polls, which recently have registered Bush’s approval rating as hovering around 30 percent.

Yeah, Harry, I'm sure city council members are really feeling the hurt of Bush's approval rating.  Still, I'm sure Keith Olbermann is hunched over his keyboard, furiously composing a special comment praising Reid's truth and courage.

Posted by: Slublog at 11:27 AM | Comments (94)
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Obama: Comprehensive Immigration Reform a Top Priority
— Gabriel Malor

Via Byron York, in front of the League of United Latin American Citizens, Obama is no better on immigration than McCain and is likely worse:

"I marched with you in the streets of Chicago to meet our immigration challenge. I fought with you in the Senate for comprehensive immigration reform. And I will make it a top priority in my first year as President – not only because we have an obligation to secure our borders and get control of who comes in and out of our country. And not only because we have to crack down on employers who are abusing undocumented immigrants instead of hiring citizens. But because we have to finally bring undocumented immigrants out of the shadows. Yes, they broke the law. And they should have to pay a fine, and learn English, and go to the back of the line. That’s how we’ll put them on a pathway to citizenship. That’s how we’ll finally fix our broken immigration system and avoid creating a servant class in our midst. It’s time to reconcile our values and principles as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws. That’s what this election is all about."

Earlier today at the same event, McCain resurrected his pledge to secure the border first:

Many Americans, with good cause, did not believe us when we said we would secure our borders, and so we failed in our efforts. We must prove to them that we can and will secure our borders first, while respecting the dignity and rights of citizens and legal residents of the United States. But we must not make the mistake of thinking that our responsibility to meet this challenge will end with that accomplishment. We have economic and humanitarian responsibilities as well, and they require no less dedication from us in meeting them.

Make us believe, Senator.

Posted by: Gabriel Malor at 10:55 AM | Comments (7)
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RNC Ad: "Change That Works For Him"
— DrewM

It runs 1:09 so I think itÂ’s a web only ad. I hope thereÂ’s a broadcast version somewhere since it does a nice job of chronicling ObamaÂ’s various positions on Iraq to date.

Even the normally clueless Bob Herbert is noticing the lack of consistency in ObamaÂ’s revealed wisdom of late (no links for the Times, though you can find one here if you must read the whole thing).

One issue or another might not have made much difference. Tacking toward the center in a general election is as common as kissing babies in a campaign, and lord knows the Democrats need to expand their coalition.

But Senator Obama is not just tacking gently toward the center. HeÂ’s lurching right when it suits him, and heÂ’s zigging with the kind of reckless abandon thatÂ’s guaranteed to cause disillusion, if not whiplash.

I look forward to the upcoming FISA vote (it may happen tomorrow). How he handles that will tell if heÂ’s going to play to the center or left. I think heÂ’ll vote for it and keep moving to the center because he knows itÂ’s not like the left is going to stay home or vote McCain. TheyÂ’ve invested too much getting Obama to this point to abandon him at this point over a few panders to the clingy types.

Posted by: DrewM at 09:56 AM | Comments (19)
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